Doll and the like



June 3, 1952 GERBAUD 2,598,781

DOLL AND THE LIKE Filed Feb. 27, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet l #64481 eeaqup 1N VEN TOR.

J Wale) June 3, 1952 GERBAUD 2,598,781

DOLL AND THE LIKE Filed Feb. 27, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 3,1952 GERBAUD 2,598,781

DOLL AND THE LIKE Filed Feb. 27, 1951 s Sheets-Sheet s HEMe/ Gaza/10p F7510. INVENTOR.

Patented June 3, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 DOLL AND THE LIKE Henri Ger-baud, New York, N. Y.

Application February 27, 1951, Serial No. 212,925

10 Claims.

The present invention relates to dolls and manikins in human and animal form, and particularly to the type having movable head and limbs.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a novel and .improved doll structure including an initially collapsible torso which is a thin-walled hollow shell made of a material having resilient quality, as for instance of vinyl plastic, rubber or its substitutes, furnished with interior framework made up of engageable components insertable into the torso shell, to afford a suitable rigid support for the mounting of the head and the limbs.

Another object hereof is to provide a novel and improved doll construction of the character mentioned, wherein the framework spoken of, is engaged in proper place by and within the torso shell.

A further object hereof is to provide a novel and improved doll structure of the type'described, affording good frictional hold of the limbs in any set position on the torso member, so that their arrangement remains unchanged except when intentionally rearranged.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a novel and improved doll construction, which is reasonably cheap, easy to manufacture and efiicient in carrying out the purposes for which it is designed.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as this disclosure proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Fig. 1 is the front view of a doll embodying the teachings of this invention, shown partly in section.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the torso member after certain openings have been made at the arm and leg socket regions, as will be explained.

Fig. 3 is a section taken at lines 3-3 in Fig. 2, after the framework has been fitted within the torso member.

Fig. 4 shows a side view of the framework in assembled condition, drawn to a reduced scale.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the arm region of the assembled doll of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6, Fig. 8 and Fig. are front views of the three components comprising the framework shown in Fig. 4, employed in the embodiment described herein.

Fig. 7 is a section taken at lines in Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a side view of Fig. 8.

Fig. 11 is a section taken at line in Fig; 10.

In the drawings, the numeral l5 designates generally the torso member. It is a thin-walled molded shell of a material having resilient and some stretchable quality, as for instance of vinyl plastic, rubber or the like. It comes closed from the mold, except for the opening at neck region, and has inward bosses at the limb regions. These inward bosses at arm region, are denoted by the numeral I6, and by the numeral I! at the leg regions.

To prepare the torso for-use, the webs l6 across the arm regions and the webs across the leg regions, are cut to provide therein the holes l8 and I9 respectively, and the series of radial slits l8 and I9 respectively, starting at such holes and extending but part way towards the perimeter of such webs respectively. The collar 20 is trimmed down as at 20'.

The framework shown assembled in Fig. 4, consists of the tubular member 2|, whose ends fit telescopically on the bosses respectively, the tubular member 22, whose end fit telescopically on the bosses I6 respectively, and the connecting piece 23 which is intermediate such tubular members. Piece 23 is of dimension and shape to fit betweenfront and back of the torso member I5, is bifurcated at its bottom end, so that the distance between its tines permits snug fit through the slots 24 in tubular member 2|, and at its upper end is provided with an upwardly extending lug 25 which fits snugly into the rectangular hole 26 through the wall of the tubular mem ber 22, and is provided with the concave arcual seat 21 for the said tubular member 22. It is practical to make radius 1' equal to the outside radius of tube 22, and to have radius R equal to the outside radius of the tube 2|.

After the torso member |5 has been prepared for use as stated, the framework is inserted therein piece by piece through the neck opening 30. First, the tubular piece 2| is put in, and set so that its ends fit on the bosses respectively. The slots 24 are upright, and said member 2| is shaped to fit the space it occupies within the torso member l5 so as to conform to the torsos interior. Next, the part 23 is put in so that its tines 28 and 29 are positioned through the slots 24. Finally, the tubular member 22 is put in, and set so that its ends fit on the bosses l6, and so that lug 25 is within the slot or non-circular hole 26. All frame members being of rigid material, they are now engaged as a unitary structure, and the assembly thus far described, is now ready shown on the respective hooks ll and 42.

3 to have the head 3| and the limbs 32 and 33, mounted thereon.

It is evident that during insertion and assembly of the frame parts, the torso member need be stretched and distorted to'accommodate such operation. This is possible, because of the nature of the material it is made of. The torso being elastic to a sufiicient extent to permit the necessary manipulation, returns to its original mold: ed form.

Each arm 32 and each leg 33, at socket region, is provided with a laterally extending and reduced boss, namely those denoted by the numerals 34 and 35'respectively. From each such boss j there extends outwardly an elastic loop, here .designated by'the numerals 36 and 31 respectively.

The head 3| has the downwardly extending and reduced boss 38, forming the annular channel 39 in the head mass. This boss 38 also has the elastic loop 40 extending downwardly therefrom.

It is to be noted that when the arms 32 and the legs 33 are mounted on the torso member I5, each plug 34 upon being inserted into the tubular membe 22 will forcethe web l6 into said tube to form a frictional bushing around said plug or boss, as shownin Figs. 1 and 5. A similar bushing comes into existence when the plugs 35 on the legs. 33, are inserted into the tubular member 2 I Of course; the diameters of the respective plugs are such as to produce frictional engagement with said bushings formed of the webs at socket regions. A mounted limb turned to any position about the axis of its related mounting plug, will remain set until-manually moved to another position..

All elastic loops 35, 3'! and 48, are associated as S0 assembled, all'sai d loops are in taut condition as is usual in the art. The height of the heads mounting plug. 38 is such that when the doll is assembled, such plug shall rest on the frame member 22, and shall be sufficient so that the torso at collar region is not distorted due to the tautness in the elastic loop 4! h 1 jfIhe width of the unslit perimetral lane of the webs H5 and I1 should be little enough to permit their insertion into the tubular frame members withcut much efiort. The sectors as 43 of said webs, formed by the slits l8 and [9, will separate as appearsin'liig. 5, when the limbs are mounted on the torso as explained.

. ,Before the head is put on, the torso shell I5 is :filled Witha suitable stuffing, which inmost cases is necessary;

This invention is capable of numerous forms and. various applications withoutdeparting from the essential features herein disclosed.

It; is therefore intended and desired that the embodi- -ment shown herein shall be deemed illustrative and-not restrictive and that the patent shall cover allpatentable novelty herein set forth; reference a being had to the following claims rather than to the specific description herein, to indicate the scopeof this invention.

I claim. V 1. In a doll or the like, a torso-shaped shell of a material havingresilient quality, a head member carried thereon; said shell being provided with-an opening through which frame components may be inserted therein, a plurality of components insertedinto said torso-shaped shell and set in engaging relation to form a rigid unitary frame structure therein en aging theinterior surface of said shell; said unitary frame structure presenting the ends of tubes at the respective limb regions of the torso-shaped shell with the axes thereof intersecting the shell wall at such regions respectively; said tube ends offering support for a limb at each limb region of the torso-shaped shell; the wall portion of the torso-shaped shell at each limb region having an opening of less area than the hole of the tube end adjacent said wall portion, permitting the insertion of a limb end into each of. said tube ends respectively, a limb at each limb region positioned with one end through said opening at said limb region and extending into said tube end, 1 whereby each said Wall portion is formed as a bushing on the limb end within said tube end; said bushing being in snug fit with the interior surface of said tube end in which it is positioned and with said limb end which extends therein and means withinv said torso-shaped shell holding the limbs connected to said shell.

2. An article as defined in claim 1, including means to limit the extent to which the limb can extend into the mentioned tubular end. C

3. -An article as defined in claim'l, wherein th limb end which extends into the tubular end is of reduced section so that the limb can extend into the tubular member only the. length. of said reduced section. a

Y 4. An article'as-defined in claim 1, wherein the opening at the limb region is formed bya plurality of slits in said torso wall portion.

5. An article as defined in claim 1, wherein the opening at the limb region is formed of a plurality of radical slits in said torso wall portion; said slits being in intersecting relation. J I:

j 6. A-n article as defined in claim 5., wherein'the area determined by said intersecting radial slits is less than the area of the hole of the tubular end adjacent'thereto.

'7, In a doll or the like, a torso-shapedshell of a material having resilient quality a head member carried thereon; said shell being provided with an opening and formed at limb regions with an internal boss adapted to receive theend of a tubular member therein, a first tubular member inserted members, inserted into the torso shell, positioned a between and contacting said tubular members; said connecting and tubular members being provided with cooperative means to hold saidthree members together in a predetermined relation and limbs mounted one at each limb region-of the torso shell.

8. An article as defined in claim 7, wherein the first tubular member is provided with opposite slots therethrough in a plane transverse its longitudinal axis, wherein the'other tubular member is provided with. a non-circular hole opposite the first tubular member and wherein the connecting member is provided with a pair of tines at one end and a non-circular lug at its other end; said tines fitting respectively into said slots and said lug fitting within said non-circular hole.

5., In a doll or the like, a torso shaped shellof a material having resilient quality, a head member mounted thereon, a tubular'member positioned Within the shell and extending between two limb regions the wall portion of the torso shell at each such limb region having an opening of less area than the hole of the tube end adjacent said wall portion, permitting the insertion of a limb end into said tube, limbs positioned one with one end through each of said openings respectively and extending into said tube, whereby each said wall portion is formed as a bushing on the limb end within a tube end; each said bushing being in snug fit with the interior surface of the tube end in which it is positioned and with said limb end which extends therein and means within the torso-shaped shell holding the limbs connected to said shell.

10. An article as defined in claim 9, wherein each opening at limb region is formed of a plurality of intersecting radial slits in said torso wall portion.

HENRI GERBAUD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,273,538 Reeves July 23, 1918 1,676,096 Kwasnicki July 3, 1928 1,859,175 Schaefier May 17, 1932 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 194.993 Great Britain Mar. 22, 1923 

